Last updated: April 2026 · By L’Équipe Marcil inc, Sherrington (Quebec)
Who this article is for: property managers, business owners, condominium board administrators, industrial park managers — anyone responsible for a commercial parking lot in Quebec. The 5 mistakes described below are the ones we see most frequently on our job sites in Montérégie, and they all have one thing in common: they cost far more to repair than to prevent.
Mistake #1: Waiting until damage is visible before taking action
This is the most widespread and most costly mistake. The normal human reflex is to say, “Everything looks fine — we’ll deal with it when we see a real problem.” The issue with that logic is that paving doesn’t deteriorate in a linear way: it appears healthy for years, then tips over within a few seasons into a state where repairs become extremely expensive.
Preventive crack sealing costs roughly $1,500 to $3,000 per year for an average commercial parking lot. Emergency patching after 5 years of neglect can cost $10,000 to $20,000. Partial reconstruction after 10 years of neglect can cost $30,000 to $60,000. And a complete repaving after 15 years of neglect can easily reach $80,000 to $120,000.
The practical rule: as soon as a crack reaches 3 mm wide, it must be sealed before the next winter. Beyond that, costs escalate in a non-linear fashion.
Mistake #2: Choosing the lowest price without checking the quality of work
Property managers are often evaluated on their ability to minimize short-term costs. The reflex is therefore to go with the cheapest contractor. But in asphalt crack sealing, the lowest price almost always means work that won’t last a single winter.
Common ways contractors “cut the price” include: cold sealant sold as hot-applied, generic products not approved by the Quebec Ministry of Transportation (MTQ), minimal crack cleaning (no compressed air), no pre-heating with a propane torch, a one-person crew rushing through the application. The visual result looks acceptable for two weeks, then the sealant cracks at the first freeze and water starts infiltrating the paving again.
The right approach: get three quotes, compare them on technical criteria (product used, process, written warranty) before even looking at the prices, and choose the one offering the best quality-to-warranty ratio. See our article on how to choose a crack sealing contractor.
Mistake #3: Not coordinating crack sealing with patching
A common mistake is to have all the cracks in a parking lot sealed, then carry out pothole patching three months later. The problem: patching removes and replaces a section of pavement, including areas where sealant was recently applied. The sealing work around the pothole is therefore wasted and must be redone.
The correct sequence is the opposite: patching first, sealing second. Or better yet, both jobs in the same visit, by the same crew. This also allows sealing the joints between old and new asphalt, which are weak points where cracks reappear first.
If your contractor doesn’t spontaneously propose this coordination, they either lack experience or are trying to bill you for two mobilizations instead of one. Either way, look elsewhere.
Mistake #4: Letting snow removal crews demolish your curbs in winter
The metal blades on large snow blowers are merciless with asphalt. Each pass of a poorly adjusted or too-deep blade chips away pieces of curb, shatters concrete-asphalt joints, and creates new areas of deterioration that will need to be repaired in spring. On an unsupervised commercial parking lot, one season of aggressive snow removal can undo three years of preventive maintenance.
Best practices to require in your snow removal contract:
- Rubber-edged blades on all curbs and concrete-asphalt joints
- Blade height at least 2 cm above the pavement surface, never in direct contact
- Reduced pass speed in areas with multiple curbs
- Before-and-after photos for each winter visit (in case of disputes later)
- Contractual liability of the snow removal contractor for damage caused to the pavement
A good snow removal contract includes these clauses without you having to insist. A snow removal contractor who refuses these conditions is probably uninsurable — and you should not let them near your parking lot.
Mistake #5: Over-salting to impress clients
A well-salted parking lot gives an impression of safety and professionalism. The problem is that sodium chloride (common salt) actively attacks the bituminous binders in asphalt. Each tonne of salt applied weakens the pavement’s cohesion a little more, accelerates the appearance of cracks, and measurably reduces the parking lot’s service life — we’re talking about a 20 to 30% reduction in lifespan for heavily salted sites.
Alternatives and best practices:
- Prefer calcium chloride or magnesium chloride for high-traffic areas — more expensive but far less aggressive on pavement and effective at lower temperatures (-29 °C vs -18 °C for common salt)
- Apply salt selectively (entrances, turns, pedestrian zones) rather than uniformly across the entire surface
- Mix with abrasive (sand or gravel) to reduce the amount of salt needed while maintaining traction
- Sweep up excess salt in spring before the first rain washes it in, to prevent it from seeping into cracks
A manager who knows these techniques can reduce their annual salt bill by 30 to 50% while significantly extending the service life of their pavement.
The 6th mistake — bonus — : ignoring drainage
Water is asphalt’s primary enemy in Quebec. A parking lot that accumulates puddles due to clogged catch basins or a poorly designed slope will see its pavement deteriorate twice as fast as normal. Yet annual cleaning of drainage grates costs barely a few hundred dollars and prevents thousands of dollars in cumulative damage.
Check at least once a year (ideally in spring and fall) that:
- Catch basins are clear and functional
- Rainwater flows correctly toward drainage points
- No area retains standing water for more than 24 hours after heavy rain
- Curbs are not creating barriers that hold water against the pavement
Avoidance cost summary
| Mistake | Avoidance cost | Repair cost if mistake is made |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting for damage | $1,500–$3,000 /year | $30,000–$120,000 after 10–15 years |
| Lowest price | $500–$800 more per year | Redo the work + 2 to 5 years of lost service life |
| Sealing + patching done separately | $0 (coordination = free) | $200–$600 in redone work |
| Aggressive snow removal | Contractual clauses ($0) | $2,000–$8,000 /year in curb damage |
| Excessive salting | Staff training ($0–$200) | 20–30% of service life lost |
Frequently asked questions
How can I measure the effectiveness of a maintenance programme?
Compare the condition of the pavement at 5-year intervals using the same photos of the same areas. An effective programme shows very slow deterioration rather than rapid progression toward worse conditions. Our annual maintenance packages include comparative photographic reports.
My annual budget is tight — where do I start?
Start with a professional diagnostic inspection to identify the 20% of problems that represent 80% of the risk. Address those priorities first and spread the rest over 2 to 3 years. Something is always better than nothing.
What if my predecessor made all these mistakes before me?
You inherit a deteriorated pavement but you don’t inherit its future consequences. Do an honest assessment of the current condition, establish a catch-up plan over 2 to 3 years, and document everything to protect your own liability. Many of our clients are in this situation and we support them with phased intervention plans.
Free diagnostic for your commercial parking lot
Inspection + custom action plan in Montérégie
(514) 826-3568